Monday, May 22, 2017

U.S. Amateur champions Matthew Fitzpatrick and Byeong Hun An among latest group

(FAR HILLS, N.J.) – The United States Golf Association announced that 27 additional golfers, including U.S. Amateur champions Matthew Fitzpatrick and Byeong Hun An, have earned full exemptions into the 2017 U.S. Open Championship, to be played June 15-18 at Erin Hills, in Erin, Wis. These exemptions bring the number of fully exempt players to 78.

All 27 exemptions were awarded to players who earned a place in the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as of May 22. Fitzpatrick, who won the 2013 U.S. Amateur, is ranked No. 41. He will compete in his third U.S. Open. He tied for 48th and was the low amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014. An, who won the 2009 U.S. Amateur, is ranked No. 56. He has played in three U.S. Opens, including a tie for 23rd at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club last year.

Horschel moved into the OWGR top 60 after winning the AT&T Byron Nelson Championship in a playoff on May 21, his fourth PGA Tour victory. Horschel, who advanced 32 spots from the previous week to No. 44, will compete in his sixth U.S. Open. At No. 12, Rahm is the highest-ranked player in the current OWGR who was not previously exempt into the U.S. Open. Rahm, who won this year’s Farmers Insurance Open in his first full PGA Tour season as a professional, was the low amateur in the 2016 U.S. Open, when he tied for 23rd.

Oosthuizen, who is No. 17 in the OWGR, finished as runner-up with Dustin Johnson to champion Jordan Spieth in the 2015 U.S. Open, held at Chambers Bay. Oosthuizen will play in his eighth U.S. Open.

The winner of the European Tour BMW PGA Championship (May 25-28) will also earn an exemption. The number of fully exempt golfers may increase with the addition of the top 60 players from the OWGR as of Monday, June 12.

The first of two international sectional qualifiers for the 2017 U.S. Open was held on May 22, in Japan, where four spots in the 156-player field were determined. England will host qualifying for the 13th consecutive year on Monday, May 29. Those players who qualify are in addition to the 78 fully exempt players listed below.

The U.S. Open will be contested in Wisconsin for the first time. Erin Hills is hosting its third USGA championship and its first since the 2011 U.S. Amateur, when Kelly Kraft defeated Patrick Cantlay, 2 up, in the 36-hole final. The U.S. Open will be contested in the Midwest for the first time since 2003, when Jim Furyk won at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club.

A list of the 78 golfers fully exempt into the 2017 U.S. Open as of May 22 (not including the four international sectional qualifiers from Japan) is below. It can also be found at this link: http://www.usopen.com/qualifying/exemptions.html.

More information about the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills, including local and sectional qualifying, is available at www.usopen.com.

Key to Player Exemptions:
1. Winners of the U.S. Open Championship the last 10 years (2007-16)
2. Winner and runner-up of the 2016 U.S. Amateur Championship (must be an amateur)
3. Winner of the 2016 Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A (must be an amateur)
4. Winner of the 2016 Mark H. McCormack Medal (top-ranked in WAGR & must be an amateur)
5. Winners of the Masters Tournament the last five years (2013-17)
6. Winners of the Open Championship, conducted by The R&A, the last five years (2012-16)
7. Winners of the PGA of America Championship the last five years (2012-16)
8. Winners of the Players Championship the last three years (2015-17)
9. Winner of the 2017 European Tour BMW PGA Championship
10. Winner of the 2016 U.S. Senior Open Championship
11. Winner of the 2016 Olympic Gold Medal
12. From the 2016 U.S. Open Championship, the 10 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 10th place
13. Those players who qualified for the season-ending 2016 Tour Championship
14. Top 60 point leaders and ties from the current World Ranking as of May 22, 2017
15. Top 60 point leaders and ties from the current World Ranking as of June 12, 2017
16. Special exemptions selected by the USGA